Process of drying, cleaning, and polishing sheet metal with corncob material



Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATE:

(mamas c. TBUA.

PROCESS or DRYING, GLEANINQ'AND r mar No Drawing. Application filed September This invention relates to a process for drying, cleaning, and polishing sheet metal by the use of comminuted material meal or flour produced from corn cobs.

I In the manufacture of various kinds of sheet metal the sheets in their finished or some intermediate state may have adhering thereto oil, liquors or various solutions or grit and other substances which have been used in treating the same and which it is necessary to completely remove.

' Various kinds of materials have been employed for this purpose, but the results have not been entirely satisfactory. I have found l5 that finely comminuted material, meal or flour produced by disintegrating and grinding corn cobs gives excellent results for drying, cleaning, absorbing and removing oils,

liquors and various other substances and solutions from sheet metal and at the same time it serves as an excellent polishing or burnishing agent, so that the metal sheets treated with such corn cob material are very effectively cleaned and polished.

The present process involves the employment of corn cob material for treating sheet metal to accomplish these results, and such material may be made in accordance with the disclosure of my prior Patent N0.\1,598,328, 3 dated August 31, 1926. a

In carrying out the process of my present invention I apply the comminuted cob material, meal or flour to the plates in; any suitable manner. This may be done by hand or by any suitable feeder which will feed a thin layer of the cob material on the plates, preferably as they are moved along. The plates with the cob material thereon are then subjected to a brushing action which may be performed manually with a'hand brush or'a bunch of waste, but preferably by a rotary or other machine operated brush, beneath which the plates are moved. Whether the operation be performed by hand or by machinery, it should be carried out in such a way that the cob material will be rubbed or brushed over and brought into intimate contact with all parts of the metal surface being treated. W I have found that metal sheets thus sub- P \TENT OFFICE OF TOLEDO, OHIO .ISHING SHEET METAL WITH CORNCOB tIAIi 1926. Serial No. 1:7,170.

jected to the action of the corn cob material will be very thoroughly and effectively cleaned, and alloil, liquor or substances and solution will be completely removed and absorbed and the plates left in a dry state; in addition, the plates are well polished or burnished and present a bright, smooth and clean. surface. The results obtained with the corn cob material are much superior to those obtained by the use of any other previously employed material Such improved results, I believe to be due to the fact that the comminuted corn cob material, meal or flour is full of minute pores, which renders it highly absorbent and enables it to take up much larger proportions of oil, liquor, or solution fromthe metal plates. In addition, such material contains hard, gritty or abrasive particles, which enablesit to give the polishing or burnishing effect on the metal of the plates. Furthermore, the corn cob material is completely inert and contains nothing which tends to act upon or discolor the surfaces of the plates.

While the invention as heretofore described has particular reference to the treatment of sheet metal, it is obvious that it may be employed for the treatment of any metal surface which it is desired to clean and polish and free from oil or other liquids, grit or dirt at different stages of manufacture, plating or polishing.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' A process of treating a metal surface to clean, polish and absorb liquids therefrom which consists in applying to the surface of the metal a Comminuted material, meal or flour made from corn cobs by crushing and grinding the same and causing a brushing or rubbing action of said corn cob material over said surface of the metal. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto afi'rx my signature.

' CHARLES C. TRUAX. 

